It’s inevitable: school is out, more people are on vacation or taking long weekends, and your eatery or shop is starting to feel like a ghost town some days.
But don’t give in to the summer doldrums: there are a number of steps you can take to give your small business a boost when the season sets in.
1. Refresh your social media accounts. Has your company Facebook page been sitting dormant for six months? When it comes to social media, you only get out of it what you put into it. Use this slow time to breathe new life into your profile and start posting actively on a daily basis.
2. Invest in low-cost, high-impact marketing methods. Now isn’t the time to break the budget on a costly campaign. So why not start small? A lapel pin branded with your company logo and tagline is a great promotional tool. Your business gets exposure not only when you hand them out, but also when the wearer sports his or her pin all around the community!
3. Provide customer incentives. Instead of the same-old, same-old coupon, try handing out your custom lapel pin to customers who spend more than a certain amount at your establishment. When they wear their pin on their next visit, they get a discount on their entire purchase.
4. Test-drive a new product or service. Whether it’s a menu item or professional service, summertime is actually a good time to try out new offerings. The slower months give you a trial period to evaluate customer response and make adjustments as needed. Then, when the busier seasons hit, you have great feedback to work with and can hit a sales home run!
5. Reach out to former customers. Take advantage of your mailing list by sending out a special coupon or business newsletter via “snail mail.” Add your custom lapel pin to each envelope—the apparent bulkiness of the package will entice more recipients to open it.
6. Explore new sales channels. For the same reasons explained above, summer is a golden opportunity to test alternative ways to sell your products and/or services. For example, if you currently only sell your products in a retail shop, consider e-commerce. A new sales channel can help you reach new and untapped markets and increase your revenue in ways you never dreamed of.
7. Get out in the community. Is your business new or fairly new in town? Spread the word by attending local community events such as festivals and small biz meetups or mastermind groups. Hand out pins and introduce yourself to put a face to your business name and plant the seeds of long-term customer relationships. So what are you waiting for? Put these ideas into motion and turn your summer slump into a success story.
Caryn Smith is Manager of Signature Pins. When you need custom lapel pins, visit https://signaturepins.com/custom-html/ today.